Recent reports that President-elect Donald Trump‘s incoming administration is to carry out a “post-inauguration” immigration raid in Chicago next week, kicking off his promised mass deportations of people who are in the U.S. illegally, has sparked alarm and backlash on social media.

Newsweek reached out to Trump’s transition team via email for comment. It also reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who referred to the incoming Trump administration for questions regarding post-inauguration activities.

Why It Matters

During the 2024 presidential election, Trump campaigned largely on the issue of immigration, promising to carry out mass deportations of roughly 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the U.S., according to the 2020 U.S. Census.

Recently, the president-elect’s allies have been downplaying some of Trump’s immigrant rhetoric. If the reports are true, this “post-inauguration” immigration raid will be a showing that Trump is serious about his immigration plans from the start of his administration.

What To Know

The Wall Street Journal first reported that ICE plans to send between 100 and 200 officers to carry out the Chicago raid, citing multiple people familiar with the matter. In the article published Friday, the Journal said the operation is set to begin on Tuesday, one day after Trump’s inauguration, and last all week long.

The New York Times, citing their own anonymous sources and correspondence reviewed by the publication, shared similar details about the raid, and Trump’s incoming “border czar” Tom Homan told Fox News when asked about the reports about the planned Chicago raid that the city will be one of many to be targeted by ICE across the country and with 24 field offices in the U.S. it would go out to arrest “criminal aliens.”

What People Are Saying

Keith Olbermann, former MSNBC host and current host of the political commentary podcast Countdown, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday: “I always say democracy’s greatest defense is the stupidity of those trying to destroy it. This would explain the Trump administration leaking its own schedule of secret surprise immigration raids in Chicago to a bonehead on Fox FOUR DAYS BEFORE THEY ‘SURPRISE’ ALL THE MIGRANTS.”

Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist who previously served as a senior adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris, wrote on X on Saturday, “Over 200 ICE officers are heading to Chicago on Tuesday to begin Trump’s mass deportations. If you’re in the city, stay safe and be smart. Spread the word to keep people informed.”

Brian Krassenstein, who rose to internet fame by trolling Trump on social media, wrote on X on Friday, “NOTICE: The incoming Trump administration is planning a large-scale immigration raid in Chicago next week.”

X user Art Candee, who shares political commentary, posted on Friday, “It’s not gonna be an effective mass deportation raid in Chicago if everyone knows about it. More smoke and mirrors from Donald Trump.”

X user MM, who describes themselves as a “political junkie” in their bio, posted on Friday, “Just so we’re tracking, the Trump administration, whose only specialty is press stunts, is going to order his unhinged ‘border czar’ and ICE to start rounding up illegal immigrants in Chicago next week, in a shocking, authoritarian police state way to satiate his ghoulish base.”

Navy veteran Jared Ryan Sears, who shares political commentary, posted on Saturday, “This is all a sick game to make it look like Trump is sticking to his campaign promise.”

What Happens Next

Trump will take office on Monday during his swearing-in ceremony at noon in the U.S. Capital building in Washington, D.C. The president-elect promised to start his mass deportation plans on his first day in office.

“On Day One, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history to get the criminals out,” he told the crowd at his Madison Square rally in New York City in October 2024.